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~: .. '. I- '. . III II . II II III II SUMMARY The Uintah Basin Unit lies in the northeastern part of the State of Utah. It includes all of the Duchesne River, Ashley Creek, and Brush Creek drainages. The Uintah Basin Unit is predominantly an agricultural area. Irrigation was introduced into the Basin in 1905. It has steadily increased since then. There has also been a steady increase in saline land areas and in salt concentration in the river system. Few major irrigation improvements have been installed since the area has been irrigated. The Basin has some unique mineral resources as well as petroleum and oil shale reserves. In recent years, there has been an increase in activity in development of these resources. This is expected to have an impact on the future economy of the Basin. Public Law 93-320 and a Memorandum of Agreement between the U. S. Water and Power Resources Service (WPRS) and the Soil Conservation Service (SCS) give the SCS the responsibility to study the effects of on-farm improvements on irrigation efficiences and the resulting salinity in the Colorado River. Under the same authorities, the WPRS has been studying off-farm conveyance systems (canals and laterals). In August 1979, the Memorandum of Agreement was supplemented. It was agreed that SCS "will plan and arrange for the installation of needed improvements.. .on those laterals mutually agreed upon" by 14PRS and SCS. SCS is studyi ng some 'Of the 1 ateral s and wi 11 present the needed lateral improvements in a supplement to this report. WPRS is studying major canals and other laterals that have the highest seepage losses. They will publish a separate report identifying the needed improvements on these systems. To make the on-farm study, SCS gathered available basic data from the U. S. Geological Survey, WPRS, River Commissioners, Utah State Division of Water Resources, and Bureau of Indian Affairs. SCS conducted special studies to obtain other necessary data. These studies included interviewing farmers on present conditions and needed irrigation improvements, sampling water quality of drains, studying erosion and salt production from nonirrigated lands, and compiling data on the soils and geology of the Uintah Basin Unit. From this basic data, several on-farm alternatives were developed. These were analyzed and the results presented to local irrigation company officials and farmers who indicated their preferences of the alternatives in a series of public meetings. During these meetings, a plan was selected alternatives. This plan calls for on-farm from a combination of the improvements to be installed on O()C4D5 1 (Revised November 1980)